SURGOINSVILLE — On May 15, 2012, Ron Fleenor paid $1,249 to the Hawkins County Memorial Gardens in Surgoinsville to have a bronze marker, which was already provided for free by the military, placed over the grave of his brother Ken.

BLOUNTVILLE — The use of ankle bracelets for some inmates — to allow them to serve sentences at home — is moving closer to reality in Sullivan County. The Sullivan County Commission will likely vote on a proposal in January that will help seal the deal.

Taylor, 42, of Rogersville, was transferred from Davidson County to the Hawkins County Jail on Nov. 27, where he spent one day before being transferred to the Sullivan County Jail to serve out his sentence.

BOSTON (AP) — Onyango Obama, the half brother of the president’s late father, testified he has lived in the U.S. since 1963. He had a series of immigration hearings in the 1980s and was ordered to leave the country in 1992 but remained.

A letter was hand-delivered to Wellmont Health System on Monday formally requesting the former Lee Regional Medical Center building be donated to the Lee County government no later than March 31, 2014.

KINGSPORT — Wellmont Health System celebrated its new blood collection facility and appealed to the public for more blood and platelet donors on Tuesday. The Marsh Regional Blood Center has relocated to Wellmont’s Urgent Care building on West Stone Drive.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Commercial Appeal reports that the auditor, Maryland-based ProBar, was unable to account for more than 54,270 pieces of equipment, including laptop computers, hard drives, tools and driver training cars.